That's nonsense. Mandates are going away because (1) mid-January was the predictable post-holiday travel and gathering spike, (2) several weeks later the numbers were predictably down, and then (3) lawmakers needed several more weeks to feel safe enough about the trend to act on it.
Lifting mandates now leaves enough time for another spike (followed by more restrictions) to arise before the elections. By your thinking that timing would be a disaster.
Lifting mandates 6-7 months from now would maximize the impact on the election and minimize the risk that restrictions will have to be rolled back before the election.
Everything is obviously political, but the conclusion that lifting mandates right now is strategically tied to elections in 8 months is so far from logical that I can't imagine arriving at it, only starting with it. The covid numbers provide a simple, logical explanation.
Lifting mandates now leaves enough time for another spike (followed by more restrictions) to arise before the elections. By your thinking that timing would be a disaster.
Lifting mandates 6-7 months from now would maximize the impact on the election and minimize the risk that restrictions will have to be rolled back before the election.
Everything is obviously political, but the conclusion that lifting mandates right now is strategically tied to elections in 8 months is so far from logical that I can't imagine arriving at it, only starting with it. The covid numbers provide a simple, logical explanation.